Method of analyzing and processing signals

Abstract

According to embodiments, a system for processing a physiological signals is disclosed. The system may comprise a sensor for generating the physiological signal. The system may comprise a processor configured to receive and process the physiological signal in order to improve interpretation and subsequent analysis of the physiological signal. The processor may be configured to generate a wavelet transform based on the physiological signal. The processor may be configured to determine phase values corresponding to the subject's respiration based on the wavelet transform. The processor may be configured to generate a sinusoidal waveform that is representative of the subject's breathing based on the phase values. The system may also comprise a display device configured to display the sinusoidal waveform.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for processing a photoplethysmograph signal of a subject, comprising:
 receiving, using a processor, the photoplethysmograph signal from a sensor comprising at least one light transmitter and a photodetector; 
 generating, using the processor, a wavelet transform based on the photoplethysmograph signal, wherein the wavelet transform comprises phase information; 
 determining, using the processor, phase values corresponding to the subject's respiration based on the wavelet transform; 
 identifying a respiration ridge based on the wavelet transform of a pulse band, the pulse band corresponding to a pulse component of the photoplethysmograph signal; 
 generating, using the processor, a representative sinusoidal waveform based on the phase values and the identified respiration ridge, wherein the representative sinusoidal waveform is representative of the subject's breathing; and 
 displaying, using a display device, the representative sinusoidal waveform. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the phase values comprises determining the phase values based on the wavelet transform and a secondary wavelet transform. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the phase values comprises processing the phase information to remove erroneous phase information caused by movement artifact. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the representative sinusoidal waveform comprises determining the cosine of the phase values. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, using the processor, a respiration parameter based on the representative sinusoidal waveform. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the respiration parameter is indicative of a property of an individual breath. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, using the processor, respiration rate based on the photoplethysmograph signal. 
     
     
       8. A system for processing a photoplethysmograph signal of a subject comprising:
 a sensor comprising at least one light transmitter and a photodetector, wherein the sensor is configured to generate the photoplethysmograph signal; 
 a processor configured to perform operations comprising:
 receiving the photoplethysmograph signal from the sensor; 
 generating a wavelet transform based on the photoplethysmograph signal, wherein the wavelet transform comprises phase information; 
 determining phase values corresponding to the subject's respiration based on the wavelet transform; 
 identifying a respiration ridge based on the wavelet transform of a pulse band, the pulse band corresponding to a pulse component of the photoplethysmograph signal; and 
 generating a representative sinusoidal waveform based on the phase values and the identified respiration ridge, wherein the representative sinusoidal waveform is representative of the subject's breathing; and 
 a display device configured for displaying the representative sinusoidal waveform. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the phase values based on the wavelet transform and a secondary wavelet transform. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 8 , wherein determining the phase values comprises processing the phase information to remove erroneous phase information caused by movement artifact. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 8 , wherein generating the representative sinusoidal waveform comprises determining the cosine of the phase values. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to perform operations further comprising determining a respiration parameter based on the representative sinusoidal waveform. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the respiration parameter is indicative of a property of an individual breath. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to perform operations further comprising determining respiration rate based on the photoplethysmograph signal.